As part of the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP) Federal Government has made a $12.1 million funding boost aimed at delivering better assessment of road assets across rural and regional Australia.
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said the funding would support efforts to ensure heavy vehicles have safe and reliable access to high-quality road networks as they travel across the country.
“This program is vital for helping road managers better understand their local infrastructure capacity, bringing opportunities for new heavy vehicle networks to move freight efficiently, which will in turn bring significant boosts for local economies,” said Buchholz.
“As the heavy vehicle industry continues to grow, we must make sure that proper assessment is carried out on our roads, particularly across rural and regional Australia. This is not just about activating the transport industries that keep our country moving, this is about ensuring that everyone, from truck drivers to members of our regional communities, will be safe on our roads no matter where they live.”
The funding will allow local government road managers to deliver as many as 1,000 assessments on local government road assets including bridges, roads and culverts, bringing critical attention to local infrastructure.
This funding will support a second phase of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) SLGAAP, with an initial first phase having already supported assessments of more than 200 bridge, road and culvert assets due to a government grant of $8 million.
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto welcomed the additional funding, noting the tangible value already provided by the SLGAAP.
“This funding builds on the critical work already rolling out across our regions, supporting industry and making our communities safer,” Petroccitto said.
“It also means that as decisions are made on upgrading or allowing access to increased road assets, drivers will gain expanded access to local communities and townships, providing them more places to rest in comfort and boosting local economies.”
The NHVR and road managers are currently working through the delivery and assessment of phase two of SLGAAP and are calling on local governments to submit any assets that may be eligible for assessment.